November 10th, 2008
Autumn bike ride
You have not truly lived until you have experienced the colors of the North Carolina countryside in early November.
Yesterday I went on a long bike ride through the Orange County dairy lands. I average 14 mph on long, hilly rides like these, so I was a bit slower than the rest in the group, and it was just me and my thoughts for 40 beautiful miles. That suited me just fine.
It was sunny 55-degree day. Red and yellow leaves swirled around my wheels. The scenery was way better than TV. I passed tired old tractors and barns full of straw bales and sleeping baby cows; fields with rounds of hay shaped like jelly rolls; donkeys and goats; rocking chairs on sagging porches. The wind was cold, but for all the hills my quads were in a perpetual (a delightful!) state of burn. Gourmet peanuts and a Clif Bar kept me going. I pedaled and pedaled until the shadows stretched over the road. Finishing the ride alone was a quiet victory.
Afterward, sushi never tasted so good!
November 12th, 2008 at 10:05 am
I guess I feel a little less guilty for leaving you behind, knowing you had such a good time. It truly was a wonderful ride. It’s always great to see you, even when I cruelly abandon you.